Tag Archives: 11385

But the confusion may be a thing of the past if new legislation, introduced by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, gets passed.

“For years, the residents of Glendale have sought to obtain a ZIP code for their community and now I join them in their fight,” Meng said. “Most areas in the borough are recognized by their neighborhood names, which provide a sense of identity and pride for local residents. That is true for Glendale, and it’s time for the Postal Service to accept and recognize that by creating a ZIP code that the community can finally call its own.”

The pleas for a Glendale ZIP code have been constant for over a decade but have continually fallen on deaf ears, according to published reports. The neighborhood currently shares its 11385 ZIP Code with Ridgewood.

In 2007, the U.S. Postal Service shot down Glendale’s plea for its own ZIP code because it would be too costly and would have an adverse effect on mail service, according to the Daily News.

But residents and elected officials are willing to give it another go and win their very own five-digit identity.

“The residents and business owners in Glendale have advocated for Glendale to have a unique ZIP code for many year,” said Brian Dooley, president of the Glendale Property Association.

“Glendale should be recognized as a truly unique place with its own identity, issues and strengths, separate and apart from our neighbors in Ridgewood.”

Denied its own ZIP code, the post office granted Glendale a distinction to help separate itself from neighboring Ridgewood.

The United States Postal Service (USPS) moved Glendale to a “preferred last line,” which will allow Glendale residents to be recognized as such.

“Every time we order something it comes up Ridgewood or Flushing, but we’re Glendale,” said Assemblymember Mike Miller, who along with Congressmember Bob Turner petitioned the USPS for a ZIP code change.

A “preferred last line” will allow the post office and web sites to recognize addresses within the limits of the neighborhood as Glendale instead of automatically changing it to Ridgewood.

“This is the first time we have not been ignored,” said Turner, who called the issue an “irksome problem that has existed for a very long time.”

Since 1979, Glendale has shared the 11385 ZIP code with Ridgewood.

Miller said he has received stacks of letters complaining about Glendale being without ZIP code, but this is a big first step.

“We’ve been trying for years to get this done and nobody would make a change,” Miller said. “In this case we actually got movement. You get movement that’s the first step.”

Currently, officials are determining the boundaries of Glendale so every address will be recognized as such by the post office.

The Glendale resident has grown used to the fact that when ordering items online, her address will come up as Ridgewood.

“Most of the time I’ll just tell people I live there [in Ridgewood],” Mendez said.

The address confusion stems from the fact that Glendale and Ridgewood share the 11385 ZIP code — and have for more than 30 years.

Congressmember Bob Turner and Assemblymember Mike Miller want to change that, though, and have submitted an application to the United States Postal Service (USPS) for a unique Glendale ZIP code.

“Glendale is a unique community and should have its own ZIP code,” Turner said. “Sharing a ZIP code has created numerous, and sometimes dangerous, problems for Glendale residents, such as delays in medication delivery and first responder services.”

Prior to 1979, the neighboring communities shared their zip code with a third neighborhood in another borough — Bushwick.

Residents of the Queens neighborhoods wanted to disassociate with Bushwick following the 1977 riots and were given the ZIP code they have today.

Miller called the lack of an individual ZIP code a serious issue that needs to be addressed. “Real people are affected,” he said.

More than 1,000 Glendale residents signed a petition asking for the change.

Many feel the problem goes deeper than mail addressed to Ridgewood.

“It’s about a community identity, about keeping communities together,” said Nick Roloson, Miller’s chief of staff.

“Most people aren’t sure where Glendale is; it’s kind of no man’s land,” said Mitch Lindstedt, a Glendale resident. “I feel the lack of a ZIP is a big reason why.”

Turner said that 11384 is available and would allow the USPS to easily remedy the situation with the change of a single digit. An answer should come by the end of the summer.